General News of Wednesday, 22 March 2017

Source: GNA

Ursula Owusu Ekuful lauds Omane Boamah

'We need to look beyond politics. We've done that and we have hurt ourselves a lot' 'We need to look beyond politics. We've done that and we have hurt ourselves a lot'

Mrs Ursula Owusu Ekuful, the Minister of Communications, has hailed her predecessor, Dr Edward Omane Boamah, and his team for laying a good foundation for the Ministry.

She said governance was a continuous process - the present, the past and the future; “and if we don't know where we've come from, we won't have a clear idea of how to get to where we want to get to.”

Mrs Owusu Ekuful made these remarks in Accra at a send-off reception to appreciate Dr Omane Boamah and his team for their good works during their tenure.

The post-transition reception was meant also to appreciate the transition team.

“This is just to appreciate Dr Omane Boamah and those who worked with him to bring the Ministry of Communications and its agencies up to this level to hand the baton over to us, to also do what we can do,” she said.

“It is important that we all recognise that at the end of the day, it is what we can do for our country which matters.

“We need to look beyond politics. We've done that and we have hurt ourselves a lot. But in this Ministry, let's set the standard and let people see that yes we can think together, we can work together, we can share ideas and we can do things which can move the nation in the direction that we all want,” she said.

Dr Omane Boamah expressed gratitude to Mrs Owusu Ekuful for organising the post-transition interaction and said it was a demonstration of the fact that the transition process was a success.

Referring to the new seven-storey building of the Communications Ministry, Dr Omane Boamah described it as a solid edifice.

He said he and his team were available to assist in whichever way to promote Ghana's development “because, at the end of the day, we are in the same boat, the boat called Ghana. If this boat sinks, no one is going to be saved. God forbid.

“And that is paramount. That is the overriding reason and purpose for which we all engage in the enterprise called politics.”

He said there were very critical milestones that would have to be looked at, some of which concerned the Government's share in Vodafone and Airtel; which he described as very tricky decisions to make.

Also at the reception were Mr George Andah and Mr Vincent Sowah Odotei, both Communications Deputy Ministers designate. The event was attended by both current and former heads of agencies under the Ministry.

They included Mr Issah Yahaya, Chief Director, Communications Ministry, Mr Joe Anokye, Director General, National Communications Authority and Mrs Teki Akuettey Falconer, Executive Director, Data Protection Commission.

Some members of the previous government's team were Mr Edward Ato Sarpong, former Deputy Minister of Communications; Professor Nii Narku Quaynor, former Chairman, National Information and Technology Agency (NITA), and Mr Georta Atta-Boateng, former Director General, NITA.

The transition team members present were Mr Osei Bonsu Amoah, Madam Abena Asafo-Adjei, Mr Augustine Blay and Mr James Kwoffie.